(Source: Teaching Other Subjects Through English, OUP)
Teaching and activating Key vocabulary
Activity
Aim
Description
Odd one out
Definign and describing; categorizing words and recognizing word associations; revising specific vocabulary
Example: retina, optic nerve, sacculus, iris
In pairs, students try to underline th eodd one out in each of the dictated lists. Then ask for volunteers or call one pair to the board. They must underline the odd one out and give a reason for their choice: ( The is the odd one out because it __)
Right in one
Question forms; modal verbs; giving accurate definitions
Define it
Comparing and contrasting; giving definitions; recalling vocabulary
Two minutes to remember
Memorizing key words; learning definitions; note-taking; listening for specific information
Students have to decide if the sentences are true or false. if they are true, they must translate them into their mother tongue; if they are false they must correct them rewriting the sentence in English.
Example: The left side of the heart pumps the blood to the lungs
Jumbled sentences
Checking and matching descriptions to key words
Choose a list of keywords; write one description for each key word and number it; finally write a jumbled version of each description. Students will have to re-order sentences and match each of them to the corresponding keyword. Example: with bases, Acids alkalis reactive metals carbonates and react
(Acids react with bases, alkalis, reactive metals and carbonates)
Who or what am I?
Defining, comparing, recognizing and understanding key words; matching definitions with key words: listening;giving examples
Guess my word
Describing; guessing words
Useful language: It's something that...; It's a kind of ...; You use it for .....-ing
A word beginning with
Describing words; asking and answering questions;working in groups
In groups- with a questioner and an answerer), students quiz each other about words related to the topic chosen by the teacher ( for example, bones muscle types and structures; countries and leaders of the Soviet Union; etc.). Firstly, they list as many words as they can remember (they can use textbook).
Put the following framework on the board:
The name of a beginning with c. A_ beginning with p. A_ which is a _ A word to do with A word for a beginning with
Homework: write a gapped description of each of the items they asked about (example: The _ are muscles which move the arms and shoulders. Answer: pectorals)
Call our bluff
Writing true or false statements; remembering important facts; recording true information; working in groups
Add extra information
Expressions of frequency; dictation practice; revision; retrieving and expanding information; working in groups
Make a list of frequency words ( 100% always; 95% nearly always/almost always; 90% usually/normally/ generally; 75% often/frequently; 50% sometimes; 40% occasionally; 25% rarely/seldom; 10% hardly ever; 0% never)
Write a list of 4 or 5 words related to the topic
In groups, students must write a sentence using each of the topic words and including one of the frequency words (Example The calyx consists of sepals, which are usually green and small).
At the end, the class decides on the most useful sentences and everybody writes them down.
Definition bingo
Understanding definitions; matching key words and definitions; listening; understanding and memorizing key words
Spelling practice; expanding and consolidating topic vocabulary; remembering and revising information
Questions to answers
Writing what is/are questions; writing definitions; listening; understanding definitions
You read the definitions and students write the questions
Example: A shape with four equal sides
Question: What is a square?
Mastermind
Giving short answers; writing questions; checking understanding
Write a list of about eight (short) questions on a previously taught topic.Ask two students to come to the front and become the "experts", they will work together to give the class the answers to the questions you are going to ask them. The class will listen to their answers and decide if it is right or wrong; besides they can put a tick or a cross next to the matching questions number in their books.
Example: The Renaissance
a) What are the dates of this period? b) What period followed this one? c) Name an Italian painter from this period, etc.
Ask me again
Consolidating question forms; answering questions; translating; memorizing important concepts
Three things I/ We know about..
Defining; asking and giving information; revising and expanding information on a subject; working in groups; note-taking
Give me four
Discussion and agreement; note-taking; thinking and writing at speed: revising key points; working in groups;
Example: Give me four key points, including facts and figures, that you would include in an answer about ecosystems; Give me four reasons why deserts are expanding.
Giving New Information
Activity
Aims
Description
Ask me your questions
Asking wh- questions; giving students a voice: listening for specific information
Students create their own questions for a text and check their partners/ or the teacher's understanding/ memory
Listening with key words
Re-creating a text; understanding key words: listening for key words; practising writing; working in groups
Select a text which contains important factual information. Write a list of keywords. In groups, students try to guess their meaning and order them as they hera them. Finally they complete cloze text.
Understanding Textbook Language
Learning technical terms; getting and sharing information; building up an unseen text
Write the title of the text. Ask students to work in pairs and write a list of key words which may appear. Then, read the text and ask them to tick the words they hear. Finally, ask them to complete a gapped text. (Pair-work).
Cooperative Listening
Listening, note-taking; cooperative learning
Scan the text
Reporting back; introducing a text; giving input, translating; working in groups.
Identify the key points you want your students to remember. Write them on slips of paper. Distribute the text among the groups. One student from each group is the messenger, s/he will listen to the message and will go back to his or her group, say the "message" and partners will try to find that information in the text. (Group work)
Write the text question
Giving examples; predicting; reading and selecting key information; note-taking
Write the title on the board; get the students to suggest as many areas of the subject as possible (if students use their mother tongue , write the English equivalents underneath; give a sheet of paper- 3 columns (Things I knew; Things I didn't know; Examples to remember); they read a section of the text provided and try to make notes about the things they knew, examples to remember and things they didn't know- finally they share the information together and write appropriate exam questions
Text circles
Asking and answering questions; ordering words; getting new information; working in groups;
In groups, students try to order text- each of the students have been assigned a section of the text that must be reconstructed. Finally they write questions for other students.
Getting the right order
Adverbs of sequence; memorizing a sequence of steps
Appropriate for example periods of history, literature; order of events; monarchs; the steps to solve a specific calculation, etc. (Group work/ Pair work)
Students as words
Spatial language; kinaesthetic intelligence; using charts or diagrams
Correct me
Drawing conclusions; reading aloud to correct the teacher; understanding instructions; learning a sequence
Students try to re-order stages of an experiment, based on their memory of the teacher's demonstration.
Parroting
Learning definitions; memorizing important concepts
Go through definitions written on the board, ask students to read them aloud; start rubbing out parts of it and keep asking them to read the whole definition. Continue until all the sentences have dissapeared and only the key words are left
Echoing
Simple Past Tense: listening and repeating; working in groups
(Suitable for any topic students need to memorize). Find information in English on the topic; prepare a short talk on it; divide your input into separate short sentences.Write the title of your topic on the board and then explain the key words. Then read sentences, every time you stop reading one student in each group has to echo to their group exactaly what you said.
ABC Dictation
Numbers; reading; re-ordering sentences; writing and spelling from listening to a text;
Translating; reading; understanding new information
What did you hear?
Building vocabulary; practising listening skills; predicting
Find a text. Write down key words or dates from the text. Prepare a gapped text for these words or dates. Procedure: write the title of the text on the board and ask students what they know about the topic- write the key words and explain the meaning (ask students to listen and repeat the words). Students will be given the gapped version of the text. They must listen carefully to the text, but not take notes. Later they will try to complete it individually.
Speaking
Activity
Aim
Description
Add to this
Linking and sequencing; comparing and contrasting; cooperative learning; working as a group to extend ideas; oral revision
Ask me, tell me
Asking for and giving information; note-taking; revision;
Tell me what you know
Asking and answering questions; using questionnaires; oral revision; interviewing skills
Hear and say
Pronouncing the English alphabet; numbers; revising important facts or concepts; memorizing;listening and speaking;
Herramientas 2.0
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CLIL Activities
(Source: Teaching Other Subjects Through English, OUP)Teaching and activating Key vocabulary
In pairs, students try to underline th eodd one out in each of the dictated lists. Then ask for volunteers or call one pair to the board. They must underline the odd one out and give a reason for their choice: ( The is the odd one out because it __)
Consolidation and revision
Example: The left side of the heart pumps the blood to the lungs
(Acids react with bases, alkalis, reactive metals and carbonates)
Put the following framework on the board:
The name of a beginning with c.
A _ beginning with p.
A _ which is a _
A word to do with
A word for a beginning with
Homework: write a gapped description of each of the items they asked about (example: The _ are muscles which move the arms and shoulders. Answer: pectorals)
Write a list of 4 or 5 words related to the topic
In groups, students must write a sentence using each of the topic words and including one of the frequency words (Example The calyx consists of sepals, which are usually green and small).
At the end, the class decides on the most useful sentences and everybody writes them down.
See example (bingo_chemistry.pdf; FLASH CARDS_chemistry.pdf)
Example: A shape with four equal sides
Question: What is a square?
Example: The Renaissance
a) What are the dates of this period? b) What period followed this one? c) Name an Italian painter from this period, etc.
Giving New Information
Speaking
__//More speaking activities//__
Writing
Read/Listen and Do
ESL Games Archive
Search for these games into www.google.com for instructions on how to play!(Compiled by Valerie Moniz- CIEE Teach in Spain 2009/10)
Icebreakers
Culture Building
Grammar
Vocabulary